K2
TRACY
Well, which one?
LISA
I want the blonde.
TRACY
Alright.
LISA
Tell me you want the blonde.
TRACY
I want the dark one.
LISA
You want the dark one. You really mean
it?
TRACY
Yeah, I want the dark one.
LISA
Why don't we just swap? Why don't we do
a swap? Let's do that. Let's do it.
TRACY
OK.
LISA
OK.
TRACY
OK, I'll take the kitchen.
LISA
You take the kitchen. I'll take the
bedroom.
TRACY
What is it again?
LISA
Tracey.
TAYLOR
Oh, baby! God Damn! Come on Harold.
HAROLD
Killer.
TAYLOR
Come on, come on Harold.
HAROLD
Alright. Alright. Alright.
LISA
What do you guys do anyway?
TAYLOR
I'm an explorer.
TRACY
Oh no. I've seen you around. You are an
accountant, or a lawyer or something.
TAYLOR
An accountant? Please... feel this...
feel this. Since when does an accountant
ever feel like that?
TRACY
Oh now anybody can do weights.
TAYLOR
Hey, go and sit next to Lisa's friend.
TRACY
Tracey.
TAYLOR
Tracey, come and sit next to Harold. He's
kinda shy, you know. That's right...
that's right. Come around then.
TRACY
Hi.
HAROLD
Hi.
TAYLOR
Hello sailor.
TRACY
Thank you guys.
LISA
OK. Come on.
TAYLOR
Oh, come on. One drink. No, we'll go in
for one drink. Come on Harold, please...
please.
LISA
Hey you guys, comin' in or what?
TAYLOR
You girls go on in, we'll be right
there.
LISA
It's number 58.
TRACY
Hurry up before we change our minds.
TAYLOR
Let's go in for one drink Harold.
HAROLD
I can't go in there.
TAYLOR
Come on Harold, just one drink.
HAROLD
I can't.
TAYLOR
why?
HAROLD
Because if I start screwing around on my
wife, I'm dead meat.
TAYLOR
Oh man, these girls are wet, wild and
willin'.
HAROLD
That's why I can't go in.
TAYLOR
Come on Harold, haven't I always looked after
you on all our adventures together?
HAROLD
This is one kind of adventure I don't do
any more. You know that.
LISA
What the hell's going on down there?
TRACY
Yeah.
TAYLOR
We're comin'.
HAROLD
You're coming. I'm going home. I'll call
you tomorrow. Run through the inventory,
okay?
TAYLOR
Harold... Harold... Harold... Fuck the rules!
BLACK MAN
Cat Burglar!
HAROLD
Pussy thief!
TONY
Hey Spiderman. what's the big fucking
idea?
TAYLOR
I'm just visiting pop.
TONY
Now you want to jump down like a good
little boy or do you want me to blow
your fuckin' head off?
TAYLOR
Wwwwww... Tracey! Lisa!
LISA
Taylor, what the hell are you doing up
there? Where's your magic wand now
Taylor?
TRACY
Yeah.
TONY
Is this guy a friend of yours?
TRACY
It's okay. Tony. we know him.
TAYLOR
Yeah I'm okay Tony. I'm okay.
TONY
Crazy fuckin' girls.
BLACK MAN
He always do this kinda thing?
HAROLD
Every Friday night!
TAYLOR
Hello girls, nice neighborhood, hey.
CINDY
Hello, anyone home?
HAROLD
Huh?
CINDY
Baby's wet, Daddy.
HAROLD
What Cin?
CINDY
I don't understand how you can sit there
with your son sopping wet and not even
notice!
HAROLD
I'm sorry.
CINDY
Don't apologize to me.
HAROLD
I'm sorry Eric. I just had a flash about
this paper Cin and I gotta get this
down.
CINDY
Eric and I have been waiting about a
year for you to have a flash about the
joys of parenthood.
HAROLD
Give me a break, honey.
CINDY
We get one hour a day of your valuable
time, professor... if we're lucky. I'm
only asking you for one hour a day to
think about us.
HAROLD
Cin?
CINDY
Yes?
HAROLD
I forgot to tell you that the Alaska
trip has been pushed forward a week.
CINDY
Harold, I want to make you a deal. You
can be a foul-up as a father for ten
more days. And when you get hack from
this trip, I want you to promise to
concentrate on us, the three of us, for
six months, okay?
HAROLD
I promise.
CINDY
You got your fingers crossed? Fine. Now
hold Eric for five more minutes 'til I'm
ready for work.
HAROLD
Hello. I'm gonna take you to a mountain
with me. Yeah, a mountain. Give me a
kiss.
TAYLOR
Listen Carl, all you have to do is go
hack in there and testify what you saw
those guys do. Just tell the Court the
truth. Then I'll drop the "accessory to
second degree murder" down to
"aggravated assault" plus we forget all
the other charges. It's a hell of a
deal, Carl. It's a hell of a deal.
DEXTER
A hell of a deal.
CARL
Man, you is one fuckin' attorney!
TAYLOR
Aggravated assault, it's one year tops.
County time, you'll be out in eight
months laughing!
CARL
Man I rat... and in 8 months I'm dead.
Popped the second I hit the streets.
TAYLOR
I'll see to it personally that you get
protective custody.
CARL
Yeah. for the rest of my life! Man,
that's bullshit. Man, I ain't ratting.
TAYLOR
Would you like another cup of coffee?
How about you, Dex? I'll buy if you do
the honors.
DEXTER
Cream and sugar, right?
CARL
What is this shit? What? Are you gonna
leave me alone with this guy? This
fuckin' Assistant D.A.?
TAYLOR
We're gonna go hack in there me and you
the youngest, the most frightened the
one most likely to crack...
CARL
Oh no, you ain't crackin' me, man.
TAYLOR
and your brothers'll be lookin' at you
and wondering "what the hell are they
talkin' about in there" And then I'm
gonna approach the bench concerning some
new evidence I've just received. And the
whole time I'm doin' it, I'm gonna look
at your brothers and then I'm gonna be
lookin' at you.
CARL
You is one sick fuck.
TAYLOR
Yeah well now you're catchin' on.
HAROLD
Well in a strange way it was girls... I
used to hide from them in the library in
the fifth grade. That's where I came
across my first physics textbook
explaining Einstein's Unified Field
Theory.
PETER
That's got it, Professor.
HAROLD
Perfect, okay. Anyway, High School...
College... I dove deep- er into physics
and discovered that Einstein had failed
in the face of Quantum Mechanics. I saw
God die almost before he was born. You
see Quantum Physics had smashed to
pieces the cornerstone of physical
science.
PETER
Cause and effect.
HAROLD
Precisely. There was no answer.
PETER
Yeah.
HAROLD
Listen, why don't you clean it up, and
I'll go get us some sandwiches.
PETER
Ah professor. If there is no answer,
then why look for one?
HAROLD
Hm, that's why I climb mountains,
Peter.
TAYLOR
There you go. Oh Harold, you almost had it.
One more try, come on. Harold. come on, here
you go, come on. Come on Harold. You've gotta
do better than that. Let's go. There you
go. Beautiful, beautiful. Nice, nice,
nice. That's nice Harold. Oh I'm really here.
HAROLD
what a hairy pendulum, man.
TAYLOR
Good job.
HAROLD
Nice ballet.
TAYLOR
Thank you. I'll give you a good ballet.
Check that out. I'm gonna free the whole
pitch.
HAROLD
Really? D'you know what I love about
you, Taylor? You're too dumb to let
reality stand in the way of success.
TAYLOR
Jesus, what's that?
HAROLD
Right there. See the overhang in the
roof.
TAYLOR
Oh yeah.
HAROLD
What're they doing?
TAYLOR
I dunno. Let's go pay them a visit and
find out.
HAROLD
Okay. You first.
TAYLOR
Here we go.
MAN
Hey, nice climbing. Right on.
DALLAS
Well I guess they'll let anybody on this
mountain.
TAYLOR
Hi Dallas, how's it hanging?
DALLAS
Everybody, this is Taylor Brooks. The
Spat twins.
TAYLOR
Hi.
DALLAS
Jacki Metcalf.
JACKI
Hi.
TAYLOR
You climbed Anapurna last summer, didn't
you?
JACKI
Yeah.
TAYLOR
Congratulations.
JACKI
Thanks.
DALLAS
Takane Shimuzu.
TAKANE
Hi.
TAYLOR
How do you do?
DALLAS
Phillip Clayborne.
TAYLOR
The Phillip Clayborne?
CLAYBORNE
Hello Taylor, nice moves.
TAYLOR
Nice to meet you. Thank you. Okay Harold. You
guys moving in?
JACKI
Well this is just a test run.
TAYLOR
Test run for what?
DALLAS
Well we...
CLAYBORNE
We'd rather not say until we've got the
permissions.
TAYLOR
The permissions. Himalayas huh?
CLAYBORNE
I never talk about a deal until it's
signed.
JACKI
You two are moving pretty fast.
TAYLOR
Yeah, we've got a little test run goin'
ourselves here. We're comin' back in a
month to shoot for the record on
McKinley.
DALLAS
The summit speed record?
CLAYBORNE
You think you can beat 36 hours? Who
else are you taking?
DALLAS
Superman?
TAYLOR
No, it's just Harold and me. And a
couple of our favorite hookers.
DALLAS
Harold who?
TAYLOR
Harold Jamison.
DALLAS
Never heard of him.
TAYLOR
Well, here he comes. We'll ask him if
he's ever heard of you.
CLAYBORNE
How high are you going tonight?
TAYLOR
Just up to the snowline. Jesus Christ,
what time do you chopper in the sushi?
CLAYBORNE
Hello... hello... yeah. Eh, how are you
doin'? Everything's fine.
TAYLOR
I got you. I got you. I got you.
DALLAS
Harold huh!
TAYLOR
What d'you think? Underneath those
rocks?
HAROLD
Yeah... looks good.
TAYLOR
You're not going to camp here, are you?
DALLAS
What does it look like?
CLAYBORNE
We need to test these tents on some
steep ice.
HAROLD
Yeah, yeah, of course except you're right
in a hole here
CLAYBORNE
It's almost June. I'm sure everything
that's gonna come down has already done
it.
DALLAS
You see those choppy formations? That
means that there was a slide just a week
or two ago.
TAYLOR
Yeah, we know what they mean, Dallas.
that we heard that they had some pretty
heavy snow fall here this year.
DALLAS
Look, why don't you guys go back to the
ridge and camp there and we'll see you
in the morning?
HAROLD
Fine. See you in the morning.
TAYLOR
Wanna make a little side bet on some
serious white dumping on those fuckers
tonight?
HAROLD
Eh pass. Sounds karmically uncool. So,
who's Clayborne?
TAYLOR
You never heard of Phillip Clayborne?
HAROLD
No. He seems like a nice guy.
TAYLOR
Nice? How many billionaires do you know,
Harold?
HAROLD
Really?
TAYLOR
Really.
HAROLD
Oh! What about, eh, Dallas. What's his
name. What's his problem?
TAYLOR
Dallas Woolf? We went to law school
together. He was good in the classroom.
I was better in the courtroom. And there
was no contest in the bedroom.
HAROLD
Hey Taylor. you awake?
TAYLOR
No.
HAROLD
I gotta talk to you.
TAYLOR
What?
HAROLD
I've got a little problem about this
McKinley trip.
TAYLOR
What?
HAROLD
Yeah.
TAYLOR
Let me guess... five foot six straight
black hair.
HAROLD
Yep. Huh you know I've been workin' too
hard. I'm never home. I promised her.
She made me promise her that...
TAYLOR
You promised me. It's only ten days for
chrissake.
HAROLD
I know... I know. I... I really don't
think I can make another trip this year.
TAYLOR
Let me talk to her.
HAROLD
She doesn't like you. How many times
have I got to tell you that?
TAYLOR
Up... oh. Harold, whatever happened to the
Way of the Warrior?
HAROLD
They Way of the Warrior doesn't stand a
chance against the Way of the Wife!
TAYLOR
Whatever. If you ask me it costs too
much.
HAROLD
What?
TAYLOR
Love. Ii s way overpriced.
HAROLD
Don't you ever get lonely, Taylor?
TAYLOR
Yeah I get lonely, so what? Everybody
does. Except for sappy couples like you
who live in a fucking Hallmark card.
HAROLD
What are you saying? My life is a
Hallmark card?
TAYLOR
Hey, if the shoe fits baby.
HAROLD
Fuck you.
TAYLOR
Fuck you too. Now what?
HAROLD
I'll be right hack.
TAYLOR
Don't freeze your weenie off.
TODD
Hey what the hell are you doing?
HAROLD
Hi um. I was lust tying up your tent to
the big one.
MIKE
Don't bother, Dad. We'll be fine.
HAROLD
Look guys I'm just a little worried
you know we're...
TODD
We' re tied in. Just go to sleep.
HAROLD
Right.
TODD
Asshole!
HAROLD
Taylor avalanche.
TAYLOR
D'you see them?
HAROLD
That's it there!
TAYLOR
Yeah. Grab a shovel. Hey come on. Did
you tie on both tents?
HAROLD
No, just the big one. They wouldn't let
me.
TAYLOR
Fuckless. I wonder what happened to
them. Here.
HAROLD
Hang on.
TAYLOR
Yes. We got it!
JACKI
Dallas, listen!
DALLAS
Down here! We're down here!
TAYLOR
Take it easy.
HAROLD
Is everybody all right?
JACKI
Oh God, there's people.
DALLAS
Oh God!
TAYLOR
Dallas are you okay?
HAROLD
Just take your time. Give me your hand,
anybody. Take my... that's it.
Phillip... yeah!
VICAR
In sure and certain hope of the
resurrection to eternal life through our
Lord Jesus Christ. we commend to
Almighty God our brothers and we commit
their bodies to the ground. Earth to
earth ashes to ashes dust to dust. The
Lord bless them and keep them the Lord
make his face to shine upon them and be
gracious to them the Lord lift up his
countenance upon them... and give them
peace. Amen.
ALL
Amen.
CLAYBORNE
I've gotta go. Excuse me.
TAYLOR
I guess this leaves a little hole in
your team.
CLAYBORNE
You're volunteering to fill it, huh?
TAYLOR
If you're goin' where I think you're
goin', yeah.
CLAYBORNE
Could be just about any where.
TAYLOR
Oh come on, Clayborne. It's one of the
big ones, isn't it? You wouldn't be in
it otherwise. Is it Everest?
CLAYBORNE
This is not the time or the place for
this.
TAYLOR
Look, you need two good climbers.
CLAYBORNE
D'you have any idea how many people have
called me on this?
TAYLOR
Well, who's called you that's a better
climber than me? Huh? I've paid my dues
in the Death Zone.
CLAYBORNE
What about your friend?
TAYLOR
MY friend saved your life.
CLAYBORNE
That's not a reason to take him.
TAYLOR
Look, I've been climbing with Harold for
ten years. I'd have him on my rope ahead
of anyone I know.
CLAYBORNE
How many times has he been over 8,000
meters?
TAYLOR
He's never been over 8,000 meters. Have
you?
CLAYBORNE
How I function at 28,000 is my problem.
TAYLOR
It's K2! Isn't it? My God, we're going
to K2!
CLAYBORNE
Listen, I don't like having my decisions
made for me.
TAYLOR
This is a decision that's makin' itself.
Harold.
CLAYBORNE
Not here. I'll put it to the other members
of the team.
TAYLOR
It's your team. You can give me an
answer right now.
CLAYBORNE
The only answer you'll get right here is
a "no"!
TAYLOR
Listen, I've wanted to climb K2 all my
life!
CLAYBORNE
You're the most persistent son-of-a-bitch
I've ever met!
TAYLOR
Thank you.
CLAYBORNE
But I'm not sure I want you on my team.
GIRL
Hi Taylor.
TAYLOR
You too. 33, 34, 35.
PAM
Oh sorry... um... I know it's lunch
time. It's just those papers you wanted.
TAYLOR
Just put them on the desk.
PAM
I wondered what that thing was.
TAYLOR
Tones up the tits a treat. You wanna
give it a try?
PAM
No thanks.
TAYLOR
Miss Perkins.
PAM
Yes.
TAYLOR
Dinner tonight?
PAM
What about it?
TAYLOR
Have it with me.
PAM
No.
TAYLOR
Oh come on. Why not?
PAM
Look Mr. Brooks, I already have a date.
TAYLOR
Break it... overtime.
PAM
Thanks. But I never shit where I eat.
TAYLOR
I wasn't aware, Miss Perkins, that you
shat at all.
SECRETARY
Mr. Brooks.
TAYLOR
Yes.
SECRETARY
I have a Mr. Phillip Clayborne on Line
One.
TAYLOR
Yes. Hello. Yes... yes... yes! Excuse
me, do you know where I can find Harold
Jamison?
ASSISTANT
Ya, 101 down the stairs.
TAYLOR
Thank you very much. Do you know where
101 is?
MAN
First on the left.
TAYLOR
Thank you very much. Turn on the lights
Professor. Your life's about to change!
HAROLD
Jesus, you scared the shit outta me.
What're you doing here?
TAYLOR
I just got off the phone with Phillip
Clayborne.
HAROLD
Yeah, so?
TAYLOR
So you and I are going to knock off the
toughest mountain in the world! He wants
us on his expedition to K2!
HAROLD
You're kidding.
TAYLOR
He wants to see us tonight. We leave in
two weeks.
HAROLD
Ah wait. I can't. Eh Peter take over
here will you? What are ya talking? Come
here. I can't leave in two weeks.
TAYLOR
You can do anything you want Harold.
HAROLD
I have a grant review on the twenty-
third. I have to be here for that.
TAYLOR
Get it pushed forward.
HAROLD
It doesn't work like that.
TAYLOR
Make it work like that.
HAROLD
You don't know what you're talking
about.
TAYLOR
This is our shot Harold. We've been talking
about this for ten years. Here it is.
HAROLD
You're gonna have to go without me.
TAYLOR
I sold him on us. Me and you. Come on Harold,
don't do this to me. It's K2!
HAROLD
You're not the only person in the
universe you know. I've got Eric and
Cindy to think about too. I just can't
go.
TAYLOR
Can't? That's bullshit.
HAROLD
My wife and my kid and my job are not
bullshit. And I don't intend to blow any
of them. Okay?
TAYLOR
Get outta the way! You little menaces!
BOY
You're a menace!
TAYLOR
D'you want me to go in with you?
HAROLD
No I can handle it.
TAYLOR
You sure?
HAROLD
Yeah, act outta here.
TAYLOR
Remember Harold. Chance of a life time!
CINDY
What is it Harold?
HAROLD
Oh, I can't sleep.
CINDY
Why not?
HAROLD
I dunno.
CINDY
Yes. you do.
HAROLD
Oh I'm just gonna get a glass of water.
CINDY
No, come back here first and tell me
What's the matter.
HAROLD
No, just go hack to sleep. We'll talk
tomorrow, okay?
CINDY
Tell me.
HAROLD
Okay, I made you a promise and... I want
to break it.
CINDY
You promised six months. You haven't
been back six days!
HAROLD
I know... I know... but this is
different. Taylor and I have been asked
to go to K2.
CINDY
So what?
HAROLD
Come on Cindy. it's... it's a chance of a
lifetime.
CINDY
The chance of a lifetime to get yourself
killed.
HAROLD
Oh don't be ridiculous.
CINDY
Oh yeah? It's all here in the goddam
hooks, Harold..."Savage Mountain" "Killer
Mountain" Half the people that go to
K2 don't come back.
HAROLD
Cindy.
CINDY
you're going to blow everything. Your
career, your family, just so guess who
can use you as his stooge again.
HAROLD
I am not his stooge. Cindy when I stand
on top of a mountain... and it's taken
all my strength and all my courage to
get there... Just for one second... one
Second... I feel the truth of my life. I
have to have that, okay? And not for
Taylor for me.
CINDY
Me me me me me me me...
HAROLD
Cindy... Cindy... I am not going to die.
I love you. I love Eric. And I m going
to do this thing and when I come back I
promise.
CINDY
We won't be here when you get back.
HAROLD
Oh I see. You or the mountain is that
it?
CINDY
Yes.
HAROLD
Well I'm gonna have both.
CINDY
No, you're not.
HAROLD
Yes, I am.
CINDY
You can't.
HAROLD
Yes I can. I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
CINDY
Promise me you'll come hack Harold.
HAROLD
I promise.
MAN
Eh 17547 okay... sign there.
MALIK
He says no, problem.
CLAYBORNE
Ask him for his assurance that this deal
is going to stick.
MALIK
That won't be necessary.
DALLAS
Every expedition that's ever come
through here has had problems with the
porters.
MALIK
There won't be any problems.
CLAYBORNE
Tell them there'd better not be.
DALLAS
Ok. we'll use the 8mm for the fixed rope
up to Camp Four and then the 6mm on the
higher stages.
JACKI
Do you think they're heavy enough? The
Poles used 9mm all the way to the top.
DALLAS
Well they had twice as many climbers as
we do.
JACKI
To me the six mill just doesn't feel
like it's gonna take the weight.
TAYLOR
There's no weight to take if we do it
without fixed ropes.
DALLAS
Don't be ridiculous
TAYLOR
Waiting to get blown off the mountain
for sixty or seventy days laying ropes
is what I call ridiculous.
DALLAS
We've got every angle figured, Taylor. I
mean, we've been planning this trip for
over a year now.
TAYLOR
The Poles probably planned it all their
lives. That didn't stop three of them
from getting killed.
HAROLD
And none of them made the summit.
DALLAS
Fast and loose is not the way to climb
K2.
CLAYBORNE
Hey Taylor, listen to Dallas, will ya?
He's the best expedition organizer in
the States.
TAYLOR
Well if I'd known that I'd have had him
come over and pack my bags for me.
HAROLD
Thank you.
TAYLOR
It must be that time of the month huh
Dallas?
HAROLD
I'll sleep tonight. I'll tell you that.
TAYLOR
Acclimatizing all right?
HAROLD
Is it good news or bad news when you
bleed from your ears?
TAYLOR
Good news.
HAROLD
Cheese. Looks like somebody's hurt.
DALLAS
These guys look like hell.
STEINER
Guten tag. Helmut Steiner.
CLAYBORNE
Phillip Clayborne. How d'you do?
STEINER
We are last from the, eh, Mustang Tower.
The weather was very bad. We had to come
down quickly. We had to leave everything
behind. I've never known such bad
storms. I am sorry. Do you have any food
you could spare?
CLAYBORNE
Oh yes, of course.
HAROLD
That man is dead.
STEINER
Her brother too. But she doesn't believe
it. They were climbing on Paryu. We
tried to bury him, but eh she doesn't
allow it. It was very bad.
LAMBARDAR
A Japanese team has arrived in Skardu
and they are paying six dollars a day.
CLAYBORNE
A deal is a deal. You don't renegotiate
it every time you feel like it. You
people have a bad reputation for this.
Most of the cash you people earn is from
climbing parties. Maybe you should think
about what happens if we stop coming.
DALLAS
Fuckin' asshole!
LAMBARDAR
I hope you do stop coming here. Six and
a half dollars a day or no one goes.
WIDOW
Only my husband he...
DALLAS
What the hell're you doin'?
TAYLOR
We're talking.
DALLAS
You're taiking, my ass!
TAYLOR
She's still in shock. She needs somebody
to talk to.
DALLAS
You know nothing's changed, huh? You
want something you just take it, right?
TAYLOR
She was telling me about her husband.
What is your problem anyway?
DALLAS
You know she's pregnant?
TAYLOR
So?
DALLAS
So pregnant widows... Is that your thing
now?
TAYLOR
My thing is to climb this mountain. Your
way, my way, I don't give a shit!
DALLAS
I think we got that part.
TAYLOR
Are you gonna pull the bull- whip outta
your ass? Or do you want me to do it?
CLAYBORNE
Alright. Knock it off! What are you guys
doing?
HAROLD
Taylor. Come here' n look at this! Wow!
Isn't that beautiful?
TAYLOR
Of course it s beautiful. D'you think
I'd take you to an ugly mountain?
HAROLD
We did it.
TAKANE
Yeah!
MALIK
Clayborne. Clayborne. Mr. Clayborne.
They want to rest.
CLAYBORNE
For how long?
MALIK
For the rest of the day.
CLAYBORNE
What? Are you serious? What the hell's
going on?
MALIK
They want to make camp here.
TAYLOR
That's bullshit.
CLAYBORNE
We've only been going two hours.
MALIK
They say it's too dangerous because the
fresh snow hides the crevasses.
DALLAS
What will camping here prove?
TAYLOR
It'll prove they get an extra day's pay.
CLAYBORNE
We're going on to Base Camp tonight.
Otherwise no one gets paid.
MALIK
They won't move Mr. Clayborne.
CLAYBORNE
We'll see about that!
DALLAS
Look here Malik, I hold you personally
responsible for this. Do you understand?
MALIK
Well it's not my responsibility. it's
not fair, it's between you and the
porters.
TAYLOR
Here look at this! Hey!
MALIK
Hey! What are you doing? Stop!
TAYLOR
Here, here. You tell them if they don't
want the money we agreed up, I'll burn
it all. You tell them that!
MALIK
You must not do this.
HAROLD
He's right, Taylor.
TAYLOR
D'you think it's right they make a deal
and pull this shit every day, Harold?
MALIK
You cannot negotiate with them by
destroying what they do not have.
TAYLOR
Watch me!
MALIK
Listen, this money will feed one of the
families for a month at least. Mr.
Clayborne, stop him! This is against the
law.
CLAYBORNE
Taylor, that's enough! Malik, listen to
me. You tell them that every man who
finishes the trip with us will get an
extra 50 rupees per day for this part of
the glacier. This section only. Is that
clear?
MALIK
It's not the money Mr. Clayborne.
IBRAHIM
They will do it.
MALIK
They will do it. bastards.
DALLAS
Congratulations. I think I'll nominate
you as Ambassador to Pakistan.
HAROLD
I'm really sorry about this morning.
MALIK
Come on. Harold. I don't think the
porters were innocent you know. You know
they made a fool of me. The bastards.
HAROLD
Oh I think Taylor overreacted quite a
bit.
MALIK
I appreciate that.
HAROLD
Yeah.
DALLAS
Get the rope!
TAYLOR
Clean it. That's right.
CLAYBORNE
You all right?
TAKANE
Yes, thanks.
CLAYBORNE
Good work guys.
DALLAS
You okay?
HAROLD
Yeah, You?
DALLAS
Yeah.
MALIK
Thank you Harold.
HAROLD
Ah it's nothin'. Forget it.
MALIK
I will never forget it.
TAYLOR
So how's it feel to be the team hero?
HAROLD
It's better than being the team asshole
I guess.
TAYLOR
What's that supposed to mean?
HAROLD
You know what it means.
TAYLOR
No, I don't.
HAROLD
This whole deal with the porters. You
know you burned their money. I just
don't understand it.
TAYLOR
I didn't make the world the way it is,
Harold. I'm just trying to get through
it... as fast and as clean as possible.
HAROLD
We all make the world the way it is.
TAYLOR
Yeah well, we know who made this.
HAROLD
Do up the tent.
TAYLOR
You do it! D'you do this every day?
TAKANE
Yes. Every day.
DALLAS
Hey!
HAROLD
Taylor! Taylor! What's going on?
MALIK
The men are leaving, they are going
home.
HAROLD
Why?
MALIK
They are scared.
HAROLD
Well, tell them it's only four hours to
Base Camp.
MALIK
I'm trying to do that.
HAROLD
Come man, we're almost there. Look!
Look!
DALLAS
Ask them. Come on. God damn it. What?
What? Answer me, you son-of-a-bitch. Answer
me! God dmanit! God fucking damn it!
JACKI
Leave it here! Leave it!
TAYLOR
What the hell's going on?
DALLAS
We've just lost the porters.
TAKANE
What are we doing to do now?
TAYLOR
Fuck them! We don't need them. We'll
take it up ourselves.
DALLAS
Seven tons of gear! When do you want to
do this, before or after you get
dressed?
TAYLOR
What's the matter with you? Don't you
have a plan? I thought you had a plan
for everything.
DALLAS
I'm talking about time, asshole! It's
gonna take weeks to take this shit up
the mountain.
JACKI
Dallas is right. We'll be cutting it
short with the weather this late in the
season.
TAYLOR
Exactly, that's why we take what we need
and we leave all this other shit. Oh
well then hey guys, why don't we just
fucking quit, huh? Why don't we just
give up? Come on, they're doin us a
favor. We don't need all this stuff.
Look, all we need is each other.
Ourselves. It's a team, Clayborne, like
you said... a team.
MALIK
These men will stay Mr. Clayborne.
HAROLD
I'm with Taylor.
TAYLOR
This is such a great book. Listen to
this. you will survive if you fight
quickly and perish if you do not. This
is called the Dying Ground.
HAROLD
On' Dying Ground' or as it were sitting
in a leaking boat. Or hanging in 3
burning house.
TAYLOR
Have you got your strategy down yet?
HAROLD
I dunno. What d'you mean?
TAYLOR
Just what I said.
HAROLD
Well, what's your strategy?
TAYLOR
Mine is mine. It's not gonna work for
you. Nobody can climb a mountain for you
Harold.
HAROLD
I know that. What are you saying, it's
every man for himself from here on in?
TAYLOR
Well if it comes down to that, you've
got to be able to deal with it, sure.
HAROLD
Oh... uh... okay. I get it.
TAYLOR
Do you?
HAROLD
Um hmm.
TAYLOR
Anything can happen up here Anything.
Don't rely on anybody but yourself.
That's all I'm trying to say.
Clayborne's really sucking the O's eh?
DALLAS
Well make this Camp One. Okay by you
guys?
TAYLOR
That's fine by us.
HAROLD
You know Clayborne really seems to be
struggling.
DALLAS
I know he always takes a coupla days to
acclimatize. He'll be okay.
TAYLOR
Yeah right. Drink some. Dehydration's
a killer at 20,000 feet.
HAROLD
We're at 20,000 feet already?
TAYLOR
Welcome to the death zone.
CLAYBORNE
If we get to Base Camp by noon, we
should be able to get the equipment up
to Camp Two by tonight.
DALLAS
We could come back down here.
CLAYBORNE
No need for that. You go up to Camp Two.
I'll meet you up there.
JACKI
We'll see you later.
CLAYBORNE
Good luck.
DALLAS
Okay, thanks.
TAYLOR
What's up?
DALLAS
Ready?
TAYLOR
Yup.
DALLAS
You want to lead today?
TAYLOR
Yeah, sounds good to me.
DALLAS
OK.
JACKI
Be ready to leave in a half hour.
MALIK
Okay.
DALLAS
Camp Two to Base. Do you read me. Over.
JACKI
Hey Dallas, Base Camp reading you. Over.
DALLAS
We're ready for you here. Is everything
okay? Over.
JACKI
Everything's fine. We'll be starting out
in about thirty minutes... Over.
DALLAS
Eh we're gonna push on. Lay rope to
three. Over.
JACKI
Repeat. You're breaking up. Repeat.
DALLAS
I said we're gonna push on. Lay rope to
three. We'll see you back here tonight.
Over.
JACKI
Sounds good. Over.
DALLAS
Hey girls, we're gonna push on to three.
HAROLD
Right now?
DALLAS
What's the matter?
HAROLD
I feel like I just fuckin' died is
what's the matter.
TAKANE
Me too.
DALLAS
All right. I'll tell you what. You guys
stay here and rest. I'll go to three and
lay ropes myself.
TAYLOR
I'm comin' with you.
JACKI
Be ready in about half an hour?
CLAYBORNE
Yeah. Half an hour's fine.
JACKI
Feel okay?
CLAYBORNE
I feel great.
MALIK
Eh, that should be an hour maybe.
HAROLD
What d'you think about when you climb?
TAYLOR
Sex.
HAROLD
Sex you've had or sex you're gonna have?
TAYLOR
Sex I didn't have. I think about the
ones that got away.
HAROLD
Really? You mean there were some?
TAYLOR
Cindy. I never had Cindy.
HAROLD
What?
TAYLOR
I could have I think.
HAROLD
Hey... hey... hey.
TAYLOR
The first time I saw her I said to
myself.
HAROLD
Taylor shut up! All right. that's
enough! Jesus!
TAYLOR
You asked.
HAROLD
You're kiddin', right?
JACKI
Phillip... Phillip is sick.
HAROLD
What's wrong with him?
JACKI
I'm not sure. Edema maybe. We've gotta
get him down now.
HAROLD
Okay, we'll be right there.
TAYLOR
What... what does she mean "we"? How's
he feeling?
CLAYBORNE
I don't feel too good. I'm sorry.
JACKI
We can get you down to Base Camp tonight
Phillip.
CLAYBORNE
I'll be all right 'til morning.
JACKI
We've got to get you down to a lower
altitude as soon as possible.
CLAYBORNE
My legs are still moving. I'm all right.
JACKI
Your lips are blue.
CLAYBORNE
No.
DALLAS
All we need is five days, Phillip. The
four of us can crack the summit for you.
It'll always be your mountain.
JACKI
Listen, I want to reach the summit as
much as all of you. But Phillip is goin'
to die if we don't get him down tonight.
MALIK
I will go with you and Nazzir. Mountain
will wait for me.
HAROLD
I'll go too.
TAYLOR
No, you won't, Harold.
JACKI
Dallas?
TAYLOR
I just don't see the point in all of us
going back down to Base Camp.
TAKANE
I agree.
DALLAS
Okay. It's settled. The rest of us'll
remain here until morning. If he gets
worse we'll come straight down.
JACKI
Fine. Go wake up Nazzir. Bring him down.
easy. I got ya. It's OK Phillip. We're
almost down now.
CLAYBORNE
Phillip to Camp 4. This is Phillip.
DALLAS
Yeah Phillip. It's Dallas, go ahead.
CLAYBORNE
Camp 4. What's the situation?
DALLAS
We go for it now. Definitely.
CLAYBORNE
You've been going pretty solid for days
now. You sure you're strong enough to
get to the summit and back in twenty
four hours?
DALLAS
It's now or never Phillip.
CLAYBORNE
Then two go and two of you stay behind.
TAYLOR
What? Let me talk to him. Phillip, this
is Taylor. Why can't we all go?
CLAYBORNE
Two must stay back in reserve. That's an
order.
TAYLOR
Alright. I guess the big question is
which two?
CLAYBORNE
I'll leave that decision to Dallas.
HAROLD
What's going on?
DALLAS
We leave in half an hour.
TAYLOR
Wait a second. Who's going with you?
DALLAS
Takane.
TAYLOR
Listen, if it's only two to the top,
you've got to send the best two
climbers.
DALLAS
Yes, so?
TAYLOR
That's me and you.
HAROLD
Now you wait a second.
TAYLOR
No listen I'm sorry guys but Dallas and
I have the best shot at this.
HAROLD
Fuck you Taylor! What is this?
DALLAS
Sorry my friend... but Takane and I are
the summit team and that's that.
TAYLOR
That's bullshit. We had a deal. A deal
based on fitness. I'm the fittest
climber up here. You've gotta take me.
DALLAS
I'm not taking you.
CLAYBORNE
Doesn't sound very good.
JACKI
They won't make it tonight. Pressure's
still falling.
TAYLOR
Dallas. This is Taylor. Come in. Dallas.
Takane. This is Taylor. Do you read me?
They must've switched off. What d' you
think? Come on Harold. Don't do this to me.
Talk to me, man.
HAROLD
I just can't believe you would've gone
without me.
TAYLOR
If Dallas had chosen you instead of
Takane, you would've gone without me.
HAROLD
No way.
TAYLOR
Well, that's the difference between me
and you, Harold.
HAROLD
The difference between you and me,
Taylor, is that you're only my friend as
long as it doesn't cost you anything.
TAYLOR
We'll get our crack at it.
HAROLD
How d'you figure that? As soon as they
come down we're gonna get off this
mountain if we live through this fuckin'
storm! Taylor... Taylor, wake up! What's
that?
TAYLOR
Jesus.
HAROLD
Oh God! Oh. It's Takane! Shit.
TAYLOR
Get him in.
HAROLD
Oh God, he's taken a real bad fall.
Easy, easy, Takane... easy.
TAYLOR
Oh Jesus Christ.
HAROLD
First aid, Taylor.
TAYLOR
Oh my God.
HAROLD
First aid. He's hurt real bad.
TAYLOR
Yeah. Yeah. Okay Takane. Take it easy.
TAKANE
Da... Dall...
HAROLD
What? Where is Dallas?
TAKANE
Wouldn't come down. No tent... lost...
very bad.
HAROLD
It's all right, Takane. Take it easy.
TAKANE
Very cold.
HAROLD
I know. I know. Take it easy... easy.
TAYLOR
He's not breathing, Harold.
HAROLD
I can't find a pulse! I can't find a
pulse!
TAYLOR
Are you ready?
HAROLD
Yeah okay. One and two and three and
four and five. One and two and three and
four and five.
TAYLOR
Come on.
HAROLD
One and two and three and four and
five... come on. One and two and three
and four and five.
TAYLOR
Check his pulse.
HAROLD
Oh shit! One and two and three and four
and five. One and two and three and four
and five.
TAYLOR
Come on Takane! Come on!
HAROLD
One and two and three and four and five.
One and two and three and four and five.
Check his pulse. Jacki? Phillip? Anyone
awake down there' Jacki? Phillip? Anyone
awake down there... Over.
JACKI
Yeah. Harold, I'm reading you. Over.
HAROLD
Jacki... listen... uh... Takane's dead.
JACKI
God! Is Dallas there?
HAROLD
No. Takane said something about he
wouldn't come down. I'm not sure but I
think they lost their tent.
JACKI
What do we do?
TAYLOR
Nothing... nothing. We can't do
anything. Go look for Dallas in the
morning.
HAROLD
We'll wait and go look for Dallas first
light. Jacki?
JACKI
Yeah listen. Phillip's gettin' worse. I
have to get him out as soon as possible.
Malik's trying to get a military chopper
up to us.
HAROLD
Well where does that leave us?
JACKI
A long way from home if you don't get
down here real quick!
HAROLD
Ah, okay.
TAYLOR
Camp 4 to Base. Jacki, this is Taylor.
Do you copy me?
JACKI
I copy that. Hi.
TAYLOR
Listen, we're all finished up here.
Jacki is this weather gonna hold?
JACKI
It should hold today but after that I
don't like it.
TAYLOR
Hang on.
HAROLD
I still wanna to climb this mountain.
TAYLOR
Jacki. if Dallas is on this mountain.
we'll find' him. But we're going for the
summit. Wish us luck.
JACKI
We're all with you Taylor. Good luck!
TAYLOR
All right. We travel light. We leave
everything behind. Tent... oxygen...
everything. That's all we need is 75
feet of rope. We're back here by
tonight.
HAROLD
Oh man, we did it! We did it!
TAYLOR
Top of the world!
HAROLD
You hold that. Hold it.
TAYLOR
Summit party to Base Camp. Jacki, are
you still with us?
JACKI
Taylor, Harold, where are you?
TAYLOR
We're on top of the fuckin' world! That
was the idea, wasn't it?
JACKI
Yahoo. That's great!
CLAYBORNE
Congratulations! You guys are beautiful!
TAYLOR
Yes, Phillip, it's the top spot!
CLAYBORNE
How's the view up there?
TAYLOR
Oh it's probably not as good as the one
from your office. But it'll do. How are
you feeling?
CLAYBORNE
I feel like shit. I got to... I gotta
get off this mountain.
TAYLOR
Yeah we heard about the chopper. You'll
be all right.
CLAYBORNE
Can you be down by tomorrow night?
TAYLOR
Count on it.
CLAYBORNE
Taylor, I have to tell you I'm dying. If
you're not here, we'll have to leave
without you.
TAYLOR
We'll be there.
HAROLD
Phillip, it s Harold. Wish you were
here, Phillip.
CLAYBORNE
If I was ten years younger, I would be.
HAROLD
Oh it could happen to anyone.
CLAYBORNE
Harold any sign of Dallas?
HAROLD
Sorry Phillip. We haven't seen him.
We're gonna keep looking. That's it?
TAYLOR
That's it. It's all right. I lost twenty
pounds one trip.
HAROLD
I've gotta tell you Taylor I'm a little
worried. Is this the worst jam you've
ever been in?
TAYLOR
You call this a jam? Nothing's even
happened yet, Harold.
HAROLD
Two guys are dead and we're circling at
ten thousand feet over Base Camp... in a
white-out with one packet of chicken
soup and no landing gear. What're you
talkin' about? Nothing's happened yet.
TAYLOR
Just relax Harold. Everything's cool. We're
gonna make it.
HAROLD
You're just as scared as I am.
TAYLOR
If I was, I wouldn't tell you.
HAROLD
You don't have to tell me, it's written
all over your face.
TAYLOR
Fear is bullshit, Harold. This storm is gonna
pass in 3 day or two. We're gonna be all
right.
JACKI
It's blown' like hell up there.
MALIK
Can you see them?
JACKI
No. There's too many clouds.
MALIK
How's he?
JACKI
He's resting. Blowing like hell up
there, Phillip.
HAROLD
Grab this.
TAYLOR
Got it. Harold, are you all right?
HAROLD
Okay.
TAYLOR
We're still on ice. It's right
underneath you. Stay right.
HAROLD
Okay. Oh! Taylor!
TAYLOR
Alright listen. Take the rope off and
rope yourself in. Harold! Harold, hang on. I'll be
right there. Here... Harold. It's broken, Harold.
HAROLD
Cindy... Cindy...
TAYLOR
It's okay Harold... Harold... Harold... it's me. I'm
here.
HAROLD
I don't want to die.
TAYLOR
Who said anything about that? You're
gonna be all right, Harold.
HAROLD
You can still make it. You can make it
if you go now.
TAYLOR
What're you talkin' about?
HAROLD
I'm gonna die up here.
TAYLOR
You're not gonna die Harold.
HAROLD
I can't walk.
TAYLOR
I'll carry you.
HAROLD
You... you can't carry me. Besides we
don't have any rope to work anything
with.
TAYLOR
I'll just have to go down and get all
the others.
HAROLD
Come on Taylor. Even if you made it I'd
be dead by the time you got back.
TAYLOR
What're you doing Harold?
HAROLD
I want you... I want you to give this to
Cindy. Tell her... God I dunno... Tell
her I loved her... Tell her I'm sorry.
TAYLOR
Tell her yourself Harold.
HAROLD
Come on Taylor. I can't walk. Just take
it okay? Just get outta here. What're
you gonna do? Are you gonna sit here and
die with me? Bullshit!
TAYLOR
Do you have any idea of what you're
asking me to do? You're the only real
friend I have, you bastard. I'm not
leavin' you here. D'you understand that?
I can't live with that.
HAROLD
You don't have a choice. Taylor.
TAYLOR
Fuck you!
HAROLD
Oh c'mon, you know you never had a
problem being selfish before. It's
practically been your religion. What've
you got to make such a big deal outta it
now for?
TAYLOR
It's not gonna work Harold. You've got your
wife and your kid and your research.
That s great for you. My whole life has
been about me. My work is about lies and
compromise and dealing with the scum of
the earth. So I come to places like this
with you to find a little grace you
know... I don't wanna be selfish all my
life. I want some nobility god damnit.
HAROLD
You want grace. You want nobility go
back!
TAYLOR
I can't spend the rest of my life
knowing I let my best buddy die on some
fuckin' mountain.
HAROLD
If you're really my friend, Taylor,
that's exactly what you gotta do. I want
you to look after my son. Tell him what
a... what a big fuckin' hero I was. And
tell him I loved him very much...
Please... you have to go hack...
please...
TAYLOR
You're a prince Harold. A real winner.
HAROLD
Fuck winner. You know what I always
admired about you Taylor? You're a born
survivor. I got everything I wanted,
though I had to give up everything to
get it. Is that winning?
TAYLOR
I love you Harold.
JACKI
All right.
CLAYBORNE
I'm sorry. If the chopper comes, we're
not waitin'. They shouldn't've gone.
It's their risk.
HAROLD
Taylor?
TAYLOR
You poor son-of-a-bitch. I don't suppose
you'd mind if I borrowed your rope.
HAROLD
Eh... eh.
CINDY (v.o.)
Promise me you'll come back Harold. I love
you so much.
TAYLOR (v.o.)
Remember Harold. Chance of a lifetime.
CINDY (v.o.)
Chance of a lifetime to get yourself
killed.
HAROLD (v.o.)
Oh don't be ridiculous.
CINDY (v.o.)
Oh yeah. It's all here in these God dam
books, Harold. "Savage Mountain".
"Killer Mountain". Half of the people
who go to K2 don't come back. Make your
choice.
HAROLD (v.o.)
I'm gonna take you to a mountain with
me. Yeah, a mountain. Give me a kiss.
TAYLOR (v.o.)
If you ask me it costs too much. Love.
It's way over- priced. It's me Harold. It's
Taylor.
TAYLOR
Hang tough Harold. I've got a Present for you
from Dallas. D'you feel anything?
HAROLD
What?
TAYLOR
D'you feel anything?
HAROLD
Warm.
TAYLOR
That's good Harold. Get warm. Now come on Harold.
I need you conscious. Come on Harold. Look at
me.
HAROLD
Taylor.
TAYLOR
That's right buddy. I'm gonna get us off
this fuckin' mountain. Come on.
HAROLD
Taylor.
TAYLOR
Come on Harold. Thatta boy.
HAROLD
Love costs too much huh.
TAYLOR
Yeah tell me about it. Hang tough Harold.
Looking good, Harold. Are you okay Harold?
HAROLD
Okay.
TAYLOR
Okay. Are you ready for the next move?
HAROLD
I' m ready. Taylor I'm freezing.
TAYLOR
Me too.
HAROLD
I can't feel anything.
TAYLOR
That's good Harold. That's a good sign. All
right next move. Around the crevasse...
short pitches. You wanna lead? Come on
Harold, we're gonna make it man.
JACKI
The chopper's on its way up.
CLAYBORNE
We'll give them two more hours. Two
hours. Understood?
TAYLOR
Easy... easy. Harold. Harold, can you hear me?
Hang tough, Harold. A little oxygen for you.
Here you go. Hold that. Good boy. A
little shot of adrenaline. Wouldn't mind
one of these myself. We're nearly there
Harold. I don't know exactly where the hell
we are hut... we've gotta be close.
Lookin' good Harold.
MALIK
What about the fuel?
PILOT
The fuel is enough.
MALIK
Good.
PILOT
But we have no instruction for That.
JACKI
Come on. We're going.
MALIK
I just asked him how much fuel we have
to look for them.
JACKI
We're not communicating. The helicopter
is at 17,000 feet. It can't fly any
higher.
MALIK
We must make just one pass.
JACKI
Do you want him to die?
MALIK
No. They might still be alive.
JACKI
Not where we can get to them.
MALIK
We must just have a look. I owe that man
my life.
JACKI
If they were within reach we could see
them from here. If they're alive... if!
MALIK
The pilot is good. He says he will make
the attempt. They climbed the mountain
for you Mr. Clayborne. You cannot leave
them to die.
CLAYBORNE
Malik please face it. They're dead!
MALIK
They're not! Stop being the selfish
bastard like this man. He wouldn't die.
PILOT
We will be court-martialed, sir.
MALIK
I'll fake it. At least I'll be able to
live with myself.
PILOT
But what about the orders?
MALIK
Come on. The orders can be broken. Let's
break them for humanity's sake.
JACKI
Malik! What's going on?
MALIK
Sorry Jacki, we're going back.
TAYLOR
Harold... Harold... Harold... Harold...
Harold. Listen Harold. Listen
Harold. Yes, we did it Harold!
HAROLD
We're going home.
TAYLOR
YEEESSSS!